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Thursday, October 24, 2013

Tiny Log Cabin Quilt

Making this quilt was all about being in my happy place: scraps, improv, negative space, asymmetry.  The process took quite a bit of time.  There was lots of arranging and rearranging on the design wall, lots of trimming and adding strips here and there, and some time with the seam ripper.  Even the negative space is pieced improvisationally, using scraps.  This kind of process is relaxing to me, almost meditative. I made this quilt for myself, exactly the way it pleased me, and I love how it came out.
The quilting is a simple spiral using a walking foot, and I love the depth it adds to the quilt.  I placed the center of the spiral in the midst of the cluster of log cabin blocks.  It radiates outward, throwing out blocks along its path.
 
 
I picked a light blue and white DS Quilts print for the binding to keep the attention on the center of the quilt.

I was so happy to have a beautiful, sunny autumn day to take some pictures of this lovely quilt.  I'm looking forward to the day when my boys will be big enough to be quilt holders for me.  I'm prepping them now for photo shoots around town.  For now clips and trees play heavily.  It works.

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23 comments:

  1. TennjennyOctober 24, 2013 at 2:49 PM

    I love it! Especially the variety of neutral solids sprinkled around. And I never thought to use that print for binding, very cute.

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  2. Sonia BOctober 24, 2013 at 3:14 PM

    Absolutely stunning!

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  3. AnnaOctober 24, 2013 at 3:17 PM

    this is so beautiful I love every ounce!

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  4. AnonymousOctober 24, 2013 at 4:19 PM

    Wow, just as you loved making everything about this quilt, I love looking at everything about this quilt. For such a subtle quilt, there is so much to take in and it's been beautifully thought out.

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  5. tusenOctober 24, 2013 at 4:47 PM

    I've been looking forward to seeing what you make with your tiny log cabins and it's everything I hoped for. I love it! Perfect weather for photos, too - they look great.

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  6. Tammy VasserOctober 24, 2013 at 5:39 PM

    Love it!!

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  7. JayneOctober 24, 2013 at 6:14 PM

    A beautiful, beautiful quilt! I love the quilting and once I conquer my fear, I plan on doing that!

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  8. CitricSugarOctober 24, 2013 at 6:45 PM

    ANNNND my heart just stopped.

    I really do appreciate your aesthetic sense... So simple but so much texture.

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  9. Josée CarrierOctober 24, 2013 at 8:55 PM

    Beautiful! It's fun to make something for your own sometimes, and to totally enjoy the process. The spiral quilting is stunning. When you first mentioned it in your email, I thought you were talking about small spirals (as what Angela Walters does in many of her quilts). I never tried quilting a large spiral like this, but I can imagine the work involved in moving the quilt around. Great work!

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  10. VickiOctober 24, 2013 at 9:18 PM

    It's beautiful, Alex! How was the process of quilting that spiral for you? When I did mine (early this year?) I had significant shifting in the diagonal/bias parts of the quilt and actually had to redo my pin basting part way through. Walking foot quilting is not my friend.

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  11. LeanneOctober 24, 2013 at 10:21 PM

    This quilt is beautiful and makes me want to make similar improv blocks. I love how the quilting works so nicely too.

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  12. Little Island QuiltingOctober 25, 2013 at 1:18 AM

    Gorgeous

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  13. Jess @ Elven Garden QuiltsOctober 25, 2013 at 4:31 AM

    I really love this quilt. I've just joined an improv bee, and this is hugely inspirational. It's kinda perfect.

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  14. JenOctober 25, 2013 at 10:29 AM

    This is fantastic! I can't even believe the quilting! I have no idea how you do it curved and make it look so perfect! mine would be a jerky mess! haha

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  15. knottygnomeOctober 25, 2013 at 12:03 PM

    beautiful! i love the binding choice and your quilting.

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  16. DebbieOctober 26, 2013 at 9:53 AM

    Just beautiful! I love that you made it just the way you wanted - for YOU. Great quilting too. It brings it to life!

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  17. Krista SchneiderOctober 26, 2013 at 2:47 PM

    it turned out beautifully, well done! I have a hard time finding a place to hang quilts, I used to do it on the deck railing before we tore off the deck, now I've got nothing! You did a great job photographing it, love that bridge shot.

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  18. UnknownOctober 26, 2013 at 9:28 PM

    A great quilt! The design...quilting and binding..just lovely!

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  19. DanaK ~ WaterPennyOctober 28, 2013 at 6:56 PM

    This is great - and the clips are a good idea. They must be great clips to trust over that bridge! The photos are beautiful but that quilt is breath-taking!

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  20. CarlaNovember 1, 2013 at 8:14 AM

    What a fun scrappy quilt, Alex! I like it so much. Your photo shoot is wonderful as well....I think I even recognize the location!

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  21. lizNovember 1, 2013 at 8:03 PM

    Your quilt is stunning! I love the mini log cabins, your arrangement of them, and the spiral quilting.

    (I'm currently suffering a week long bout of vertigo and fear that trying to spiral like that might trigger the next bout, but I wish I could do that!!!)

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  22. marzipanschnecke January 3, 2014 at 12:37 AM

    Es ist ein wunderschöner, schlichter Quilt. Er hat mich heute morgen sehr inspiriert. Einfach genial!

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  23. ✾Jamie Lee Cooley✾March 8, 2014 at 8:36 PM

    Not sure how I popped to this page, but I enjoyed reading about this quilt from last year. I like how you designed the quilting to look like it is throwing out the blocks and also how the binding keeps all the attention on the colorful blocks. There was obviously a lot of thinking behind this seemingly simple quilt. Just beautiful!

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